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U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) are demanding answers from the United States Postal Service (USPS) over reports of concerning working conditions at the Allen Park distribution center in metro Detroit. The reports follow the death of a postal service worker at the same distribution center in late 2025. 

“Staff, supervisors, and union representatives have raised concerns to our offices surrounding the labor conditions at the NDC. These reports include the improper rescission of positions, failure to provide fair and equitable treatment, denial of contractually guaranteed bathroom and meal breaks, inadequate training, intimidation through disciplinary write-ups and threats of termination, and management performing bargaining-unit work, including the elimination of overtime opportunities. Employees have also expressed concerns about safety hazards, citing an expedited mail process from management pressure, reductions in staffing, and minimal specialized training,” Congresswomen Dingell and Tlaib wrote. 

The congresswomen reiterated the importance of safety for USPS workers and requested answers to a series of questions regarding the steps the facility is taking to ensure safety and more. This effort follows a November 2025 letter from the congresswomen seeking answers from USPS about the tragic death that occurred at the facility. 

A PDF copy of the letter is available HERE and text is below:

Dear Postmaster General Steiner:

This letter is regarding the labor and workplace safety concerns of workers at the USPS Detroit Network Distribution Center (NDC) in Allen Park, Michigan. We are concerned by the reports of unsafe and unfair practices at the facility.

Staff, supervisors, and union representatives have raised concerns to our offices surrounding the labor conditions at the NDC. These reports include the improper rescission of positions, failure to provide fair and equitable treatment, denial of contractually guaranteed bathroom and meal breaks, inadequate training, intimidation through disciplinary write-ups and threats of termination, and management performing bargaining-unit work, including the elimination of overtime opportunities. Employees have also expressed concerns about safety hazards, citing an expedited mail process from management pressure, reductions in staffing, and minimal specialized training. 

These reports are especially alarming after the death of Mr. Nicholas Acker at the facility in November of last year. In May, USPS received five serious citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) investigation at the NDC, three of which resulted in fines totaling over $26,000. Within these citations, OSHA determined that employees were exposed to caught-in hazards via the mail conveyors, employees did not have adequate training to perform equipment repairs, and facility procedures were not followed amid shift changes and maintenance work. While these citations were separate from Mr. Acker’s death, they are still troubling. The safety of USPS workers is of the utmost importance, and USPS must ensure that protocols and standards are properly enforced. 

Given the federal government’s responsibility to ensure worker safety and just treatment in its facilities, we request answers to the following questions:

1. What kind of specialized training do employees receive in their roles?

2. What measures does the facility take to ensure that staff are receiving necessary training for their roles?

3. What measures does the facility take to ensure labor standards are responsibly met, including fair and equitable treatment of employees?

4. What contractually obligated paid and unpaid breaks do employees receive?

5. What are the expected procedures when an employee is unable to take a contractually obligated break due to workload, staffing shortages, operational demands, or management direction?

6. What contractually obligated overtime compensation do employees receive?

7. What are the expected procedures when an employee does not receive their contractually obligated overtime compensation?

8. What impact has voluntary early retirement had on operational strain, including transitional staffing issues, localized shortages, position availability, and mail delivery? 

9. How does the facility address the aforementioned impacts of voluntary early retirements?

10. How does the facility adhere to uniform and standardized safety protocols?

11. What steps is the facility taking to ensure safety protocols are administered?

12. Please describe the safety protocol training employees receive.

13. What measures does the facility take to ensure that employees understand and follow the safety protocols?

14. Please describe the accessibility of safety and grievance procedures for employees.

15. What effect do staffing shortages and pressure for on-time mail delivery have on safety practices? 

Thank you and ensuring worker safety and proper labor standards remain my top priority. We look forward to your full and prompt response, and we appreciate your attention to this important matter.